Lakeville North junior offensive tackle Bryce Benhart, left, and senior center Nate Boe pose for a photo after the Panthers’ football practice on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. Boe is committed to play for the Gophers, and Benhart has five scholarship offers, including one from Minnesota. (Jace Frederick / Pioneer Press)

Last year, it was Wade Sullivan, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back leading Lakeville North to the Class 6A state tournament, as the 2016 Mr. Football winner compiled 1,900 yards and 33 touchdowns in his senior campaign.

This year, the Panthers will go as far as two slightly bigger guys can take them. Lakeville North is anchored by two Division-I offensive linemen: senior center Nate Boe and junior offensive tackle Bryce Benhart.

Boe is a 6-foot-4, 265-pound interior lineman who has committed to play for the Gophers next fall. Benhart is a 6-foot-9, 295-pound tackle who has offers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, UCLA, Iowa State and Northwestern.

So, it’s not likely that Lakeville North (4-2), which hosts Prior Lake (3-3) on Friday night, will ever be at a size disadvantage.

“I hope (our running backs) know that, man, if we need something, I can get behind either of these two big guys and I know that there’s going to be some space and some room,” Panthers coach Brian Vossen said.

If they don’t know, the tape certainly proves it. Coaches and players alike have marveled at the work of the two big men all season. Vossen said there are times when Benhart will manhandle the defensive end across from him and toss the defender to the ground in a clean manner but get flagged for holding simply because he’s so big.

“Watching them on film after the game, just killing people, it’s kind of funny,” Panthers junior quarterback Brennan Kuebler said.

Boe is quick to point out all five members of the Panthers’ line are good football players. Vossen speculated that junior Jack Hansen could also receive college interest. The linemen have a group chat titled “Pass the syrup, please.”

Why?

“We’re all about pancakes,” Boe said. “We don’t have a lot of stats. Pancakes is the one thing we relish.”

Benhart even mentioned a pregame tradition the linemen have established.

“We make a little pancake mix up,” he said, “and get the little skillet going.”

For the most part, that unit has led the Panthers to offensive success this season; Lakeville North is averaging 31 points a game. But there have been slips. The Panthers scored just 13 points in a blowout loss to top-ranked Eden Prairie early in the season and mustered just six points in a loss to Maple Grove last Friday.

To have more consistent success moving forward, Benhart said the Panthers need to be “flat-out physical.”

“It’s all about the mentality of the game that you have,” Boe said. “You’ve got to think I’m going to knock this guy off the ball every single play and I’m going to make his life terrible for the night. It’s nothing personal, I don’t wish to hurt anyone or anything, but it’s a violent game and stuff happens. We line up and if there’s a guy in front of me, he needs to be moved for the guy behind me to score.”

Lakeville North has been to six straight state tournaments, usually led by outstanding skill position players. Those are the guys who seem to have the biggest impact, given the ball is in their hands nearly every play. Which begs the question: Can a couple star linemen lead a team deep into the postseason?

“We hope so, we really do,” Vossen said. “It’s interesting in high school football. Having Wade Sullivan can guarantee you a 50- or 60-yard play at any moment. Having two linemen that are big-time guys … what it promises you is, if you can stay disciplined, three or four yards a carry. So it requires a different kind of patience, and I think one that we’re learning as an offense, how to use those guys to our advantage. Those guys can’t promise you a breakaway. Those guys can guarantee you a big play, they can keep you consistently moving the football if you stick to your game plan.”

“Skilled position players can score touchdowns and whatnot, but they can’t get hit every play,” Boe said, “so we’ve got to open the holes and take on two or three guys apiece.”

Jace has covered a slew of sports since he joined the Pioneer Press in May 2015, but his primary duty is covering high schools. Jace enjoys the beat, even though he's been mistaken for a student on multiple occasions.

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